A child has the ability to complete a family unit. There is a little puzzle piece in your life that is missing, and only another very specific person can fill it. No puzzle piece has anything tangible to add to a puzzle other than it completes the whole picture.

There will be days when you need to dissociate, care for your little creature but remain surrounded by the noise of adulthood. Allow yourselves those days, but allow yourself the gift of thoughtfully being a mother. Delight in the being who knows no other way than to be completely absorbed in the present.

You MADE my year. You made me count last year for Courageous Motherhood a success. Each mama I cried and laughed with. Each mom who reached out and asked a question that lead to a meaningful conversation. Each mom who showed me complete strength and fortitude. Each mom who did what it took to bring forth life in a loving environment that was right for her and her family. Each mom who taught me a lesson in loving, giving, receiving, nourishing, building, and thriving. Know that I appreciate each and every one of you. I tell every one of my clients that it was an unbelievable honor to serve them because it is. If only you knew what kind of gift it has been to just know and witness your journey.

I have yet to find a mom who has experienced belly binding and cannot attest to many positive outcomes such as achieving pre-pregnancy weight and size faster, back support, pelvic support, and faster healing. I would argue that there is something else to the ceremony of belly binding, the closing so to speak of a birth experience.

Nearly 1 in 4 of all pregnant women are put on bed rest at some point. Just take a second and let that sink in. You have a 25% chance of being put on bed rest. If you are on bed rest, you are in good and multitudinous company. The key to beating out the bed rest blues is to find something that keeps your mind alert and diverted.

This last point is the most important even if it's the most trite. It would have been warranted for her to say, I'm too tired or enough! Instead, she believed that her body was capable of birth. She believed also in her own mental ability to get through whatever discomfort she encountered. She believed in her own strength and resolve. Her pregnancy and birth journey were truly a wonder to behold.

Recently though, I finally had my own healing stories experience. My hope is that by giving my testimonial, others in the community will utilize this excellent resource that they will also be encouraged to attend some of the amazing events happening in the next week.

Just because you had a C-section the first time, doesn't mean that's what it has to be every other time after that. Excitingly enough, our local doula community has seen some amazing women continue to pursue what is important to them: a choice, a chance to try, and an ability to achieve a vaginal delivery.

These are some key steps you can take that can have a great impact on your success.

When we think about talking birth with young people, we think that we have to talk about sex. Even though sex could use a little discourse as well, the two topics don't have to be one and the same. The goal of talking about birth is not to make it "safer" or more "responsible" like the goal of talking about sex often is. Birth discussion doesn't have to be cautionary.

Here are three reasons we, as a culture, should encourage more discussion about birth with young people.

Truly, though, these are not reasons to be a doula; they are only perks that may or may not occur, and are not actually tokens of success for a doula. Being a doula is less about birth and babies than people think. It is about pouring your heart, mind, and body into being whatever is needed whenever it is needed. I became a doula because I needed to serve, for that, purely and simply, is what a doula does.